Disposable dual tipped ear curette incorporating depth measurement system

Abstract

A disposable dual ended ear curette incorporates specialized tip configurations and a depth measurement system. The ear curette may comprise a central handle portion; a first tip extending from one end of the handle portion and including an annular array of projections; and a second tip extending from an opposed end of the handle portion and including a blade member having a first lateral scraping edge on one edge of the blade member positioned adjacent a concave surface of the blade member, and a second lateral scraping edge on an opposed edge of the blade member. The ear curette may further include a sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia on each tip, configured to provide an operator with a visual indication of the depth of operation of the associated tip in a patient's ear.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ear curette comprising:
 a central handle portion; 
 a first tip extending from one end of the handle portion and including a base having a surface the outer periphery of which is directly coupled to the handle portion and an annular array of at least three projections extending from the base wherein a proximal end of each projection extends from a common base plane on the surface of the base, and wherein a shape of the array conforms to a shape of at least a portion of the outer periphery of the base; and 
 a second tip extending from an opposed end of the handle portion and including a blade member having a first lateral scraping edge on one edge of the blade member positioned adjacent a concave surface of the blade member, and a second lateral scraping edge on an opposed edge of the blade member. 
 
     
     
       2. The ear curette of  claim 1  wherein the first tip includes having the base formed as a ring member extending along the common base plane and wherein the array of projections extends from the ring member substantially perpendicular to the common base plane. 
     
     
       3. The ear curette of  claim 2  wherein the array of projections extend from one side of the ring member, and wherein a side of the ring member opposed from the array of projections includes an annular scraping edge. 
     
     
       4. The ear curette of  claim 2  wherein the array of projections extend from one side of the ring member and wherein each projection is formed of one of i) an arc segment projection generally conforming to a radii of a portion of the ring member from which the arc segment projection extends, and ii) a frusto-conical member. 
     
     
       5. The ear curette of  claim 4  wherein at least one tip further includes a sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia configured to provide an operator with a visual indication of a depth of operation of the associated tip in a patient's ear wherein the spaced, visible measurement indicia includes at least one of i) evenly spaced unit gradation indicia and evenly spaced subunit gradations between the unit gradation indicia, ii) alpha-numerical indicia indicative of the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear, and iii) a spectrum of colors that varies in accordance with the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear. 
     
     
       6. The ear curette of  claim 1  further including a sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia on at least one tip, configured to provide an operator with a visual indication of a depth of operation of the associated tip in a patient's ear. 
     
     
       7. The ear curette of  claim 6  wherein the sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia includes at least one of i) evenly spaced unit gradation indicia and evenly spaced subunit gradations between the unit gradation indicia, ii) a spectrum of colors that varies in accordance with the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear, and iii) alpha-numerical indicia indicative of the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear. 
     
     
       8. The ear curette of  claim 7  wherein the sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia includes the spectrum of colors and wherein the spectrum of colors includes the color red at substantially the deepest depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear. 
     
     
       9. The ear curette of  claim 1  wherein the blade member is formed as an S shape in cross section extending between the two scraping edges. 
     
     
       10. An ear curette comprising a handle portion and a tip extending from each end of the handle portion and including at one end a base having a surface an outer periphery of which is directly coupled to the handle portion and an annular array of projections extending from the base wherein a proximal end of each projection extends from a common base plane on the surface of the base, and at an opposed end of the handle portion a blade member having a first lateral scraping edge on one edge of the blade member positioned adjacent a concave surface of the blade member, and a second lateral scraping edge on an opposed edge of the blade member wherein the blade member is formed as an S shape in cross section extending between the two scraping edges. 
     
     
       11. The ear curette of  claim 10  wherein the base is formed as a ring member extending along the common base plane and wherein the array of projections extend from the ring member substantially perpendicular to the common base plane, wherein the array of projections extend from one side of the ring member and wherein each projection is formed of one of i) an arc segment projection generally conforming to a radii of a portion of the ring member from which the arc segment projection extends, and ii) a frusto-conical member. 
     
     
       12. The ear curette of  claim 11  wherein a side of the ring member opposed from the array of projections includes an annular scraping edge. 
     
     
       13. The ear curette of  claim 10  further including a sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia on at least one tip, configured to provide an operator with a visual indication of a depth of operation of the associated tip in a patient's ear, wherein the spaced, visible measurement indicia includes at least one of i) evenly spaced unit gradation indicia and evenly spaced subunit gradations between the unit gradation indicia, ii) alpha-numerical indicia indicative of the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear, and iii) a spectrum of colors that varies in accordance with the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear. 
     
     
       14. The ear curette of  claim 13  wherein the spectrum of colors includes the color red at substantially the deepest depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear. 
     
     
       15. An ear curette comprising
 a handle portion and 
 at least one operative tip extending from one end of the handle portion and including a sequence of spaced, visible measurement indicia on the at least one tip, configured to provide an operator with a visual indication of a depth of operation of the associated tip in a patient's ear wherein the spaced, visible measurement indicia includes at least one of i) evenly spaced unit gradation indicia and evenly spaced subunit gradations between the unit gradation indicia, ii) alpha-numerical indicia indicative of the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear, and iii) a spectrum of colors that varies in accordance with the depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear, 
 wherein the at least one tip includes a ring member extending along a plane and an annular array of projections extending from the ring member substantially perpendicular to the plane of the ring member, an outer periphery of ring member is directly coupled to the handle portion. 
 
     
     
       16. The ear curette of  claim 15  wherein the spectrum of colors includes the color red at substantially the deepest depth of operation of the associated tip in the patient's ear. 
     
     
       17. The ear curette of  claim 15  further including a second tip which includes an S shape blade member having a first lateral scraping edge on one edge of the blade member positioned adjacent a concave surface of the blade member, and a second lateral scraping edge on an opposed edge of the blade member.